Top US officials pay tribute to Pinay White House adviser

Top American officials paid tribute to former White House and Malacañang adviser Maria Mabilangan-Haley, who passed away on Tuesday (United States Time) after suffering an aneurysm. Former US President Bill Clinton, who called Haley "my friend for more than 30 years," said his late advisor was "invaluable" to the economic arena. "Thousands of people in Arkansas, throughout the United States, and in the Philippines, benefited from Maria Haley's life-long commitment to bring economic opportunities to more people," he said in a statement. Haley began working with Clinton when he was the governor of the US state of Arkansas. She eventually became his deputy assistant from 1999 to 2001 -- before she returned to the Philippines and served as former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's advisor. "Maria was really a world citizen, who never lost contact with her native nation, the Philippines," Clinton said. In a statement, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe lauded Haley's dedication to "create and keep jobs" that became the state's anchor during the recession. "Maria Haley did more for the State of Arkansas than most people will ever know," Beebe said. "After living all over the world, Maria made Arkansas her adopted home, and dedicated herself to its betterment for more than 30 years." At the time of her death, Haley was the executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), where Beebe appointed her following his election in 2006. 'Absolutely the best' In a report by The City Wire, Paul Harvel, president and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, said he was "heartbroken" after hearing about Haley's death. Harvel, Haley's friend and a former member of the AEDC, said the late Filipina was "absolutely the best director" in the agency's history. She was "a key ingredient for what we wanted to do in Fort Smith," he added. AEDC Chairman Tom Kirk called Haley "an inspiration." "She was a woman of the world who brought a unique perspective to economic development, with an absolute laser focus on doing every possible thing she could do to create jobs for the people of Arkansas," he said in a statement. 'World citizen' Born Maria Luisa Mabilangan, the diplomat's daughter was educated in India, Pakistan, France, and Spain. She became a US citizen after various stints in Asia and Europe. Haley held a number of posts at the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission (AIDC) for 13 years, also serving as then Governor Clinton's advisor on trade at the National Governors' Association. After a 21-month stint as Clinton's special assistant, the former president nominated Haley to the Export Import Bank of the United States, where she was part of the board from 1994 to 1999. She returned to the White House as Clinton's deputy assistant and the deputy director of the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO). She came back to the Philippines in 2001 and served as an advisor for the Arroyo administration for one year. Haley received numerous awards, including the Ron Brown Award for Advancing Trade Opportunities from the US Small Business Exporters Association and the 2000 Stan Suyat Memorial Leadership Award from the Asian American Government Executives Network. - VVP, GMA News